18 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

# Volume 3, Chapter 18: "Vote for Me, or Else!" (5400 words) Wenny anxiously stared at the form in front of him, which contained some basic information required for registration, such as gender, name, grade, abilities, and elemental affinities. Naturally, he couldn't write his actual name, so he hastily came up with "Wen Nia" as his alias for the competition. As for the elemental affinities, he randomly filled in everything except the ice element affinity, making sure not to leave any clues that could give him away later. He sighed deeply as he filled the gender field with a conspicuous "Female" and handed the completed form to the student at the registration desk. "Alright, Wen Nia, here is your number. Take this and wait backstage," said the student, handing Wenny a number tag, which he fastened to his arm before proceeding backstage. Wenny was still a bit bewildered as he walked through the contestant passage. He hadn't anticipated it would be this easy to get in. He had imagined showing identification would be quite the hassle. Although males could participate and contestant information would remain private, if word got out that he entered the competition like this, what would become of Wenny, the notorious bad boy of Camilla's royal capital? He feared becoming a laughingstock for sure. But why hadn't they asked for his student ID? Wenny found it odd. Surely, a competition like this would require a student ID to prevent any senior students from entering. He remembered asking the registration desk attendant before he donned the dress why he couldn't enter wearing his usual outfit. The attendant had arrogantly claimed, "Those are the organizers' rules. If you're unhappy, take it up with them. We're just employees here. By the way, we don't actually prohibit male participation." Organizers? Wasn't this event organized by the academy authorities but rather by some wealthy sponsors? Wenny frowned. As he arrived backstage, he saw a crowd of contestants waiting and resting. None were familiar faces, but they were all female students of average appearance or above. Most wore their personal outfits, aiming to showcase their individuality. Only a few opted for school uniforms. Indeed, there were no male contestants; it was all women. Seriously, who thought of holding a beauty pageant at Karilliman Academy? Who is this genius with such a peculiar yet risqué idea that so starkly contrasts with this combat academy's style? Thankfully, when the other participants glanced at Wenny as he entered, most merely took a look and returned to their own business, sparing Wenny from excessive scrutiny. If too many eyes had been fixed on him, he might have doubted if his disguise had been blown. Although males were allowed to participate and it wasn't against the rules, who would actually choose to do so? No, he couldn't think like that. It just meant they were all cowards, too ashamed to dare, while he was the brave warrior prepared for this challenge! Wenny found a seat, took a deep breath, and sank back into the soft chair. He suddenly noticed several gazes fixed on him. Confused, he looked around and saw a few nearby girls glancing at him with curiosity and oddity. What was this about? Had they seen through him? Wenny's heart skipped, but soon he realized it might not be that he was found out, but rather a matter of his posture. Legs apart, leaning forward, hands clasped together—this was far too masculine. No woman would sit like this! Fortunately, Wenny had experience from his previous times pretending to be a girl and quickly adjusted, switching naturally to a more proper posture: sitting up straight with hands gently resting in front of him, legs gracefully aligned. He mimicked Vanessa's sitting style, which he remembered from his time impersonating her. Even with limited memory, he could replicate it to a fair degree. Why had it become so challenging to even imitate himself? After the girls realized Wenny's previous posture seemed to be a product of nervousness, they withdrew their attention. Staring at strangers wasn't polite, after all. Nevertheless, they were intrigued. This girl with light blue hair seemed like a noble family's daughter, yet she had such "unrestrained" manners, piquing their curiosity. Once the other contestants redirected their focus, Wenny sighed with relief, subconsciously holding down his skirt's hem to ensure nothing embarrassing happened. It would be disastrous! The backstage area remained silent. No one spoke as the contestants, perhaps unfamiliar with one another or simply focused on performing well, did not engage in conversation. Many of these girls were from noble families. This was their first beauty contest, and although they brimmed with confidence, concerns about meeting high personal standards left little room for chatting with competitors. Soon, an event staff member entered, capturing everyone's attention. "Distinguished contestants, thank you for participating in our organizers' inaugural Karilliman Academy Freshman Beauty Contest. The final winner will receive an ice elemental elixir crafted by us." "I'll now announce the competition rules: firstly, during the introduction round, contestants will step on stage in order of their numbers to showcase their unique qualities and characteristics freely to the audience." "Next is the duel phase. Contestants will pair up for unarmed combat using only low-level magic. No harm is permitted; violating this will result in disqualification and consequences. Remember, the fight's beauty, not the outcome, is what matters." "Finally, there's the talent show. Contestants can perform any talent: singing, dancing, playing instruments, and more—display your skills boldly before the audience." "Scoring comprises audience votes and judges' ratings, though sometimes there can be more. All are aware we have organizers this time, but usually, the additional scoring category isn't invoked." "Lastly, wish you all the best. Stay confident; confident women always shine the brightest." With that, the staff member bowed and left. Wenny glanced at his number—18. He counted the competitors present. Including himself, there were only eighteen, so he was last to perform, being the final entry. That was advantageous too. Appearing first was the most nerve-racking, and everyone's first time meant unfamiliarity with the process, especially facing a large audience, possibly rendering many blank with nerves. Indeed, the first-numbered girl looked incredibly anxious, visibly trying to calm herself with little success, as her slightly shaking legs indicated. Wenny felt relieved not to be the first on stage. The event commenced, and the audience gradually filled in, their clamor echoing even backstage, unsettling Wenny with visions of the teeming crowd. Before long, the contestants' rest period ended, and it was time to take the stage. The first girl was quickly called. She stood, walking somewhat stiffly out of the resting area. As the curtain lifted, the noise flooded into the peaceful room, crashing into Wenny like a tidal wave, leaving him dazed and confused. Oh, dear goddess, it's terrifying out there! Just imagine how many eyes would be trained on you once you stepped on stage?! Truly, Wenny was in awe of anyone who could remain composed under such scrutiny. Calm, he needed to stay calm. This was the basic routine for all those destined heroines. There was no need to mention Aesphyra; the white-haired genius seemed unflappable under any circumstances. Mirexia and Ishtiya frequently delivered speeches to crowds of citizens, and Shikondell had likely also faced large audiences before. If they could all handle it, why couldn't he? Wait, maybe he really couldn't. Watching the girl who had just stepped out of the rest area to be scrutinized by hundreds, Wenny felt like a pig watching another being put into the oven. Sympathy for another's plight—soon it would be his turn. He felt lost; could he really shine under these circumstances? Wenny couldn't help but wish he had Vanessa's confidence and poise. Judging by the situation, with classes conveniently off in the afternoon, students from all grades, drawn by the event's promotion, had come to watch. The ticket cost was negligible compared to the entertainment value, especially for a beauty pageant. Most of the crowd had to be male, no doubt. The sequence of events became a blur for Wenny. He couldn't recall how the first contestant returned, what she said on stage; all he knew was that time seemed to fly by, and his turn was fast approaching. The noble young ladies, true to their upbringing, regained their composure after watching their peers' introductions and soon confidently went forth to present themselves. Seeing this, Wenny grew even more nervous. Most of these contestants came from affluent backgrounds where they'd lacked nothing. What about him? He was a counterfeit amid genuine aristocrats, a fraud about to be unmasked any moment. “Number 17, please take the stage. Number 18, prepare yourself,” came the announcement at last. The moment had arrived! Wenny swallowed, lowering his head slightly. His knuckles whitened from gripping his skirt. At that moment, a warm, soft touch enveloped his cold hands. Startled, Wenny looked up to see the older girl contestant who had been sitting with him, having returned from her turn, gently placing her hand over his with a tender expression. Huh, huh?! Wenny was taken aback. This might have been the first time a girl had reached out to him like this! “Don't be nervous, just be yourself and show your charm, like I did,” the older student spoke softly, as if comforting a little sister. “O-Okay,” Wenny nodded, averting his eyes slightly. He hadn't expected such a kind gesture from a stranger. Usually, in these situations, there was little benefit in reassuring a competitor, as everyone wished for an opponent to stumble. This older girl, Liz, if he remembered correctly, must have been a truly kind soul. As contestant number 17 returned to the rest area, Wenny knew his time had come. “Next, please welcome the final contestant, Number 18, Wen Nia, to introduce herself!” Wenny's heart clenched as he mechanically stood, meeting Liz’s encouraging gaze. He approached the curtain under the watchful eyes of the other contestants. Don't be nervous; he was, after all, the infamous troublemaker of Camilla's royal capital. What scene hadn't he faced before? From childhood to now, he'd endured the disdain and scorn of countless people across the capital and the world. Would he really cower before a crowd of hundreds or thousands now? Could he be intimidated? Impossible. Otherwise, what about his reputation as the Cambyra King of Wits? With these thoughts, Wenny regained his usual demeanor, composedly parting the curtain to exit the rest area. The shouting and clamor that greeted him didn't break his composure; he stood firm. Under the watchful eyes of audiences from various grades, a pale blue-haired girl with twin tails elegantly stepped onto the stage. “Wow, are there really so many pretty girls in our first year? How come I've never run into any before?” In a remote corner of the audience, Andre commented to his fellow card players while munching on sunflower seeds. “What does it matter if you did run into them? You think you'd hit it off or something?” Fred teased, then glanced at the pretty blue-haired girl on stage, murmuring, “So where's little brother Wenny today? Can't seem to reach him; he's nowhere to be found.” “Wenny? Come on, there's no way he'd join us common folk for something like a beauty contest. He's probably in the library or something,” Andre waved dismissively. “Him? Yeah, right. If he'd known about this, he'd have gotten here faster than us! Library, my foot. Bet he's here somewhere, just not with us, hogging all the fun for himself!” Fred retorted with disdain. Meanwhile, the girl with light blue hair stood silently on stage, recalling Liz's words from the rest area. Just be yourself, show your charm. Yes, charm couldn't be faked. He couldn't project someone else's air, only his own. So, what was his aura, if he were a girl? Having decided, Wenny crossed his arms, chin slightly lifted, gazing down at the noisy audience with an air of arrogance. Instantly, many in the audience quieted down. "What are you staring at? What kind of look is that? Do you have a problem with me, miss?" Wenny cleared his throat, using a falsetto and employing his usual tone and style. In their eyes, the fresh-faced, uniformed blue-haired girl before them stood confidently, addressing them with a clear, mischievous tone. The audience fell silent. The seventeen freshmen who had come before had exuded elegance, gentleness, confidence. This girl's bratty, domineering demeanor was a first. "Humph, cat got your tongue? Remember, my name's Wen Nia, number 18. Vote for me, or else... Humph, you'll regret it, got it?" Wenny intended to project his usual bad-boy authority. Yet, unaware, he had transformed into something more akin to a playful kitten rather than menacing. His threatening gesture of a clenched fist, he thought menacing, came across as childishly endearing to the audience, amplified by his lack of artifice, enhancing his charm. After this quasi-monologue of an introduction, the blue-haired girl let out a sassy sigh. Mimicking Aesphyra’s habit of flicking her hair, she gave a light toss of her locks and turned away. Hmph, a bunch of weaklings, all stunned by my... my young master’s presence, right? Following Wenny's exit, the venue erupted in thunderous applause. "Mama, I think... I think I'm in love." The student Wenny had singled out, frozen in a silly grin, kept repeating. From birth until this very day, he'd finally realized what type of girl made his heart race. So, he'd always liked this type of girl? Well, he was destined to be Wen Nia's devoted follower, after all! Good thing Wenny hadn't heard this; otherwise, he'd have stumbled right off the stage from shock. Never could he have imagined his typical self-introduction style would be so well-received. It's funny, isn’t it? A personality that might be annoying in a guy can be utterly adorable in a girl. “Oh oh oh! So that blue-haired girl is named Wen Nia? Ah, her bratty charm is impossible to resist!” Andre and his group of card-sharking buddies were abuzz, while Fred paused his seed-crunching, a peculiar look in his eyes, softly muttering. "Weird, is it my imagination?" "Why does this pretty blue-haired girl sound a bit like young Wenny in style?" Fred ordinarily wouldn't have linked the two personalities, but their speaking styles and auras were unnervingly similar, even down to their haughty manner. No, no, it must be his imagination. Just a figment of his mind. Otherwise... Fred felt a chill, hesitating to delve further into the idea, knowing that pursuing the thought might dangerously tread upon their brotherly bond. Unaware that his card-playing friends were watching his participation in the beauty contest, Wenny returned to the rest area and found himself faced with an even more astonishing discovery. His moral credit had changed. 'Moral Credit +240.' 'Current Moral Credit: 11,244.' What on earth...? Wenny was dumbfounded. What in the world just happened? How did his moral credit suddenly increase by 240? This didn't make sense. Was someone trying to frame him? In the past, such a boost would have made him happy, but now, he was just alarmed. Wenny understood that such a dramatic change in moral credit likely meant one thing: a destined heroine was also watching the event—someone who had discovered his true identity!